Om Puri passed away today in the early hours of the morning at the age of 66. While he was known for his stellar performances in intense movies like Maachis or his breakthrough film Ardh Satya, Puri was such a versatile actor that he could just as easily have the audience in splits. We remember the funniest scenes that Om Puri delivered on the big screen.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro: How can anyone forget the perpetually drunk and corrupt Ahuja from this satirical flick? With brilliant performances by its entire case, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro remains one of Puri’s most iconic films and, of course, who doesn’t love the Mahabharat spoof at the end?
Here Pheri: While Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal did the heavy lifting for this film, Puri gave a memorable performance as Kharak Singh, a character who is violent and pitiful in equal parts.
Chachi 420: While not one of Puri’s most famous movies, Puri packed in the laughs in this tightly scripted film as the long suffering and doubting Banwa. Perhaps his most memorable scene is when he follows Kamal Haasan (dressed as a woman) only to get beaten up by Paresh Rawal.
Malamaal Weekly: Puri took a marvelous turn as a greedy villager who conspires, along with his entire village, to steal the winning lottery ticket money.
Mere Baap Pehle Aap: The plot followed Akshay Khanna trying to get his father Janardhan (Paresh Rawal) married. But it was Om Puri’s Madhav Mathar who stole the show as Janardhan’s dutiful best friend, who haplessly scans women to find a suitable bride.
Thank you for the laughter, Om Puri. You will be missed!